News and Information

Highline Medical Center Recognized for Improving Patient Safety

Highline Medical Center was recognized for outstanding efforts to reduce patient harm and improve patient safety during the 81st annual meeting of the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) in Seattle.

Highline Medical Center is one of 16 WSHA hospitals to earn the 2013 “Washington State Hospital Association Safe Care in Action” award through participation in the Partnership for Patients national initiative – a nationwide collaborative effort to reduce the number of hospital-acquired conditions and hospital readmissions by the end of 2013.

“It is an honor for our staff to be recognized for their commitment to providing our patients with a safe environment for their health care,” said Highline Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Mark Benedum.

The initiative focuses on reducing harm in 10 key areas:

Adverse drug events

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections

Central line-associated blood stream infections

Injuries from falls and immobility

Obstetrical adverse events

Pressure ulcers

Surgical site infections

Venous thromboembolism

Ventilator-associated pneumonia

Preventable readmissions

“The Partnership for Patients contract has enabled us to make impressive improvements in patient safety in all the participating hospitals,” said WSHA Senior Vice President for Patient Safety Carol Wagner. “The hospitals doing this work are helping to test and model the best ways to keep patients safe in the hospital. It benefits their patients, and all patients.” The Partnership for Patients initiative is led locally by WSHA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Franciscan Health System includes St. Joseph Medical Center, Tacoma; St. Francis Hospital, Federal Way; St. Clare Hospital, Lakewood; St. Elizabeth Hospital, Enumclaw; St. Anthony Hospital, Gig Harbor; Highline Medical Center, Burien; Harrison Medical Center and Harrison HealthPartners, Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas; Franciscan Hospice House, University Place; Franciscan Medical Group clinics and providers, Pierce, King and Kitsap counties; and the Franciscan Foundation. Franciscan is part of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), a national nonprofit health system with headquarters in Englewood, Colo. Currently, CHI ranks as the nation’s third-largest faith-based health system, with annual operating revenues of $10.7 billion and approximately 78,500 employees. In fiscal year 2012, CHI provided more than $715 million in charity care and community benefit, including services for the poor, free clinics, education and research.